Classic Eventing Nation

Not quite the “tiger” we envisioned this Lunar New Year… Photo by Tilly Berendt.

I always chuckle at the end of a calendar year when I send my sister in Korea a “Happy New Year!” text because I know what I’ll get in response: “Silly, that’s not the new year!”

I was 30 before I really learned about the existence of Lunar New Year, which coincides with the moon’s phases and this year began yesterday, February 1. My 30th year was the year I met my birth mother, and I’ve subsequently met my biological sister in person in the years since that first trip back to Korea. Through this extended family, I’ve been able to learn more about Lunar New Year and its celebrations around the world. For example, Koreans celebrate Seollal, a festival commemorating the Lunar New Year and treated similarly to how we would on Christmas or another family-centric holiday. In this sense, the turning of the Gregorian calendar to January 1 doesn’t mean quite as much to some — the “real” new year begins when the moon begins a new cycle of 12 phases, meaning the date of Lunar New Year changes year to year. In 2023, the Lunar New Year will begin on January 22.

2022 brings the year of the tiger. What does that mean, exactly? Each year is represented by one of the 12 animals depicted in the Chinese Zodiac and, as you might have imagined already, people born within these years often are characterized by traits of that year’s animal. Tigers, for example, are characterized as “natural leaders who are both brave and thrill-seeking, often craving attention”, among other things.

What does this have to do with eventing, you might ask? Well, nothing, specifically. Except for the fact that you may share barns with an Asian rider who celebrates this holiday as religiously as you might celebrate Christmas, and now you have some additional knowledge from which to grow a conversation!

Black History Bit of the Day:

Each day in February, we’re celebrating Black voices in honor of Black History Month. We look forward to sharing what we’re learning about Black equestrians right here in News & Notes each morning.

When you hear the term “cowboy”, many call to mind the image of a wizened, white man in a tall cowboy hat. Stereotypical as this has become, it’s not the only accurate depiction of the horsemen who roamed the country before us. Smithsonian Magazine tackles the lesser-known history of Black cowboys in this deep-dive.

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Galway Downs Kickoff H.T. (Temecula, Ca.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

Sporting Days Farm February H.T. (Aiken, Sc.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer]

Three Lakes Winter I H.T. at Caudle Ranch (Groveland, Fla.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

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Wednesday News & Reading:

The new Eventing Handbook by the Levels is intended to be every rider and trainer’s best friend, and it’s full of useful information particularly for those wanting to obtain their Instructor Certification Program designation. Click here to read more about the revamped ICP program and the new Handbook.

The EquiRatings Horse Form Index (HFI) was developed in partnership with the FEI and is now available for public use. The HFI considers recent performances (similar to the EQRI index found on your USEA profile) and is intended to help riders assess their readiness and safety before attempting a competition. Horse & Hound has the full report here.

California riders! There are a lot of excellent clinicians headed to Earl and Jen McFall’s Dragonfire Farm this season. Want to ride with Hawley Bennett-Awad, Susie Hutchinson, Phillip Dutton, or Boyd Martin (or, all of the above)? Check out this Instagram post for dates and information on how to sign up.

Did you miss Strides for Equality Equestrians’ presentation at the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention in December? Now you can watch the full session online here — and it’s well worth a rewatch for perspective on DEI work in the industry and ways to help grow our sport through greater representation. Click here to watch the video.

Amateur 2* eventer Courtenay Tuxhorn is a lifelong athlete — but it hasn’t always been horses that have caught her competitive fancy. In fact, she’s a former triathlete, and she sat down with Chris Stafford for the Women in Sports podcast — you can listen to the episode here.

Watch This on H&C+:

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Well, here it is, folks: the first of February has finally graced us with its presence, and that means you’ve survived all 4,824 days of January, you little rockstar. I’m fond of February, actually – not only is it a petite month, a calendrical hors d’oeuvres, it’s also the final month of preparation before the British eventing season gets underway, and so it’s the point at which all those canter sets and chilly days out to local jumping shows feel doubly valuable. On a non-horsey note, it’s also Black History Month in the US, and while all of us here at EN are firm in our stance that Black history should be celebrated year-round, I do really enjoy deep-diving into all the fascinating content that comes out at this time of year and learning more about the world and culture around me. In honour of that, we’re going to be celebrating the ideas, insights, and contributions of Black equestrians in all of our News & Notes round-ups this month, and with bonus content across the site, too. A huge part of allyship is taking the time to learn and sit with your newfound knowledge, and we can’t wait for you to join us on this ongoing journey!

Events Opening Today: Pine Top Spring H.T., Copper Meadows Eventing, LLC H.T., Ocala Winter II H.T.

Events Closing Today: Stable View Young Event Horse Qualifier, Jumping Branch Farm H.T., Rocking Horse Winter II Advanced H.T., Ram Tap Horse Park H.T.

Tuesday News & Notes from Around the World:

Often, when you begin a conversation about the lack of coverage of Black equestrian accomplishments, the pushback you’ll hear is that “there just aren’t that many Black people who ride horses.” But we all know that’s not the case – instead, there’s been a long and complex history of erasure in our sport, and it’s one we need to acknowledge before we can build a better, more equitable industry. Author Katherine Mooney sat down with NPR’s Ailsa Chang to discuss this erasure – listen along or read the transcript to find out what she had to say on the matter.

The busy bees at EquiRatings have released their latest metric, and this one’s all about keeping us safe in the saddle. The Horse Form Index (HFI) has been developed in conjunction with the FEI, gives out grades to riders depending on their record, allowing competitors to look beyond whether they’re qualified for a move-up and instead assess whether they’re ready to safely take that step.

In the aftermath of the Second World War, philosophers and artists waxed lyrical about the state of the human condition. Now, in the aftermath of the golden age that spanned through the 1990s and into the early part of the millennium, folks in our industry use their brainpower to ponder the state of US eventing. What’s it getting wrong? What’s it getting right? And at this undeniable crossroads, which turn should we be taking? One person who’s well-situated to consider these questions is Liz Halliday-Sharp, who split the last two decades of her career between the US and the UK, and now resides full time in the States. Her debut column for Sidelines proposes the notion that none of us are focusing enough on the great things we’ve got going for us in the US eventing scene – and as we sprint headlong into a major period of change and rebuilding, I think there’s something to be said for that viewpoint.

Anxiety is a real you-know-what. So many of my friends have been caught up in its clammy little clutches recently, and it’s an insidious thing that seeps into every part of your life unless you get some robust coping mechanisms in place (and we totally recommend seeking help for this, by the way – no man is an island and all that!). This insightful piece shares one rider’s experience of saddling up despite a misbehaving brain.

The USEA Interscholastic Eventing League is back for its sophomore year – and its calendar of team challenge events has just been released! Get those planners out, gang.

Listen to This: The gang at the USEA Podcast are back for the first time in 2022, and they’ve got lots to discuss, from the upcoming ICP Symposium, the year’s 5* calendar, and new developments in safety science. Listen here!

Video Break:

Enjoy a history lesson with this look back at the formation of the iconic Badminton Horse Trials. No, you’ve got butterflies.